Friday, January 28, 2011

Symbols and What They Mean To Me




I think about symbols a lot. I often wonder why am I involved with this or that symbol in my life right now. I use symbols all the time in my art.  Like a kite isn't just a kite. It can be a symbol of childhood, of freedom, of clairvoyance, or wind or air, and so on.

Here are some of my needle punch projects. Of course, the saguaro cactus is the symbol of the AZ desert. Dragonflies are a symbol of joy and summer. The ankh is an ancient Egyptian symbol of eternal life.
Symbols can have a conventional meaning, a spiritual meaning or a cultural meaning. Dragons mean different things in Asia than they do in Europe. Snakes mean different things whether you are in India or the U.S.A.

The Victorians were famous for their extensive use of symbolism. They even covered up piano legs because they symbolized a woman's legs. Each type and color of flower meant something, like a not-so-secret message. Even the movements of a fan could tell a suitor if the woman was available or married or mad at him.

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